


The Guardian

by bornforwar_archivist



Category: Xena: Warrior Princess
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-12-31
Updated: 2006-12-31
Packaged: 2020-03-13 09:30:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18938167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bornforwar_archivist/pseuds/bornforwar_archivist
Summary: By Serenity SeaAres is Xena's guardian. Has been ever since she was 15 or 16--after Cortez's raid. Instead of becoming a blood lusting warrior under Ares' care, she merely evolves into a warrior under the care of the God of War.





	The Guardian

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Delenn, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Born For War](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Born_For_War), which closed in 2015. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in March 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Born For War collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/bornforwar).
> 
> Author’s Notes: Hey everyone! Back with another fic! I came up with this idea the other day after reading the transcript for “Chakram." (I missed so many sad episodes. *sighs* that’s what happens when you come into a series late.) When Xena was still in her ‘pure’ no-kill state, Ares was coaxing her to join him, or kiss him, or give him that chakram, depending on the scene. So I got this idea, right? Ares is Xena’s guardian. Yep. Now, I know you’re just saying, ‘What tha?’ but give me a minute to explain, okay?
> 
> One thing that always bothered me was that if Ares and Xena had the incredible bond, wouldn’t he know when she was burying her armor and vowing to never swing that sword again? Because they’re so ‘bonded,’ remember? Right. So:
> 
> Summary: Ares is Xena’s guardian. Has been ever since she was 15 or 16--after Cortez's raid. Instead of becoming a blood lusting warrior under Ares' care, she merely evolves into a warrior under the care of the God of War.
> 
> Anyway. We’re just going to set this for a test run and see how everyone likes it. Continuing the story (past the first chapter after she meets Gabrielle, of course) will depend on the response from my readers. (That’s you guys, in case you didn’t know.) Other notes: This is taking place just before “Sins of the Past," like, 5 minutes before the episode goes into Gabrielle’s village. Another thing, Xena is a lot younger than when the show started. She’s only about 4 or 5 years older than Gabrielle, who is about 16 or 17, and Ares isn’t quite as evil as we knew him to be in the beginning; raising a young Xena will do that to you.
> 
> At least 10 or 15 reviews for chapter 1.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own Xena. Never have, never will. It belongs to universal or somebody else. Not me. Any dialogue that looks remarkably like an episode will let you know if it’s coincidental or not. (Like in this chapter, you might see some similarities between my dialogue and the dialogue from “Sins of the Past," where this one takes place. 
> 
> Rated: PG-13

A dark brunette covered the dirt over the hold she’d dug and smoothed her hand over it reverently.  
  
“And that’s the last of it."  
  
There was a tingling at the back of her neck and she ignored it, making sure her shift was wrapped tightly around her body. Seconds later, she felt the weight of clothing settle on her and she looked down at her body in annoyance.  
  
“Ares." She growled, looking especially accusing at a tree to her left.  
  
A tall, dark-looking man stepped from behind a tree, looking at her disapprovingly. “Xena, Xena, Xena. What am I gonna do with you?"  
  
She rolled her eyes. “Ares. Come on. You promised."  
  
“I did?" He scratched his head, trying to remember.  
  
“Well—sort of," she hedged. “You said I could go at least a day without having to be a warrior."  
  
He nodded. “Okay. So I did. But Xe—you’re not cut out to be anything _but_ a warrior, so do you really think this is necessary?"  
  
The girl named Xena glared at him. “ _Yes_."  
  
“Fine," he said, trying to look unaffected by the thought of her leaving him. “But I guarantee it won’t be easy…"  
  
“I wouldn’t dream of it."   
  
***   
  
(Insert the scene from “Sins of the Past," right where everyone has left except for Gabrielle and Xena.)  
  
“Did you _see_ the man they want me to marry? He’s so dull, boring and… _dull_."  
  
Xena thought of Ares and wondered if that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Last week he’d gotten so upset that she’d hidden his plans for Thrace that he… well, anyway. “Maybe that’s good. You’ll always know what’s going to happen." Unlike with Ares, when one had _no idea_ what to do.  
  
She changed the subject. “Where are you going?" Gabrielle asked, while trying to look uninterested.   
  
Before she could answer, there was a flash of blue light and Xena groaned. Gabrielle opened her eyes and her jaw dropped open—she didn’t care if she was gaping or not. Xena, who was standing next to her, lifted her hand and tapped Gabrielle’s jaw up. “Calm down. It’s only Ares."  
  
Gabrielle’s eyes bugged out. “You mean Ares, ‘ _God-of-War_ ,’ Ares?"  
  
She looked at him while he blew on his fingers. “Yeah."  
  
“So. Are you done yet, Xe? I really want to go home and it’s no fun without you."  
  
Xena looked back at Gabrielle and took the steps that showed her choice to go with Ares. She stood next to him and he put his arm possessively around her waist.   
  
“Nice meeting you, Blondie."  
  
And they, with another display of lights, they were gone.   
  
***   
  


To Be Continued


End file.
